The Secure Online Business

The Web is an exciting but unstable place to do business. Both the rewards and risks are high. Security should not be an afterthought in developing a strategy. It is an integral part of setting up sustainable new channels of communication and business. Ignore it at your peril.

Risks to the integrity, availability and confidentiality of e-business activities come in several forms. Some are old threats writ large, such as fraud, espionage and false identities. Others are completely new, like hackers, viruses, spamming and denial of service. None should be underestimated, either alone or in combination. The potential for damage or irretrievable loss is real.

This book is designed as a practical guide for managers in developing and implementing an appropriate response. We first analyse the profile of risks to your business and assess particular areas of exposure, such as email, websites, wireless applications and payment mechanisms. We then review different forms of software protection, including encryption, anti-virus packages and digital signatures. None of these work in isolation, but have to be brought together to form a coherent strategy backed up with appropriate HR and legal policies. Finally, we discuss how to prevent a crisis turning into a disaster and how to retrieve any loss of data.

These contributions draw on a wide range of expertise and know-how both in IT and in other disciplines such as the law, insurance, accounting and consulting. Online security is not just a technical issue, but demands a cross-functional strategic response. The IoD and Kogan Page are grateful to all our contributors for sharing their knowledge so freely and frankly.

For more details please klik HERE (202 pages in pdf)